Tramway for log-sleds.



PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.'

A. H. WATERS.

TRAMWAY FOR LOG SLBDS.

QQ) n.. RN M L m R RN 7I Q 5J N uw 1 l Wh A k un D Il ulll. u ,-.-.\1.-.-1 o\ n m N O T. T A 0 T.. .Tu P P A A m. A

Unire l? STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT rrrcn.

TRANIWAY FOR LOG-SLEDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,971, dated May 2, 1905,

Application filed September 17, 1904:. Serial No. 224,871.

To {rf/Jl w/wm, 'llt muy concern:

Be it known that l, ALBERT H. WATERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thompsonville, in the county of Benzie and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tramways for Log- Sleds, of which the following is a specificanew surface substituted therefor without the necessity of discarding the entire rail.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the features of oonstruction,.combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of a section of a log-tramway embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof, taken cen -trally through one of the rails. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the track or tramway, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the tread member of one of the rails.

Referring more particularly to the drawl ings, the numeral 1 designates ordinary ties or sleepers of wood or other suitable material which are designed to rest upon or be sunk in the surface of the ground. Upon these sleepers rest the track-rails 2 of the improved tramway, which may be secured in any approved manner to said ties or sleepers, but are preferably spiked in the manner hereinafter described.

ln accordance with my invention each track-rail 2 comprises a base-plate 3 of desired length and width and having an upper surface lof proper form and dimensions to support a tread-surface 4, consisting of longitudinal side pieces 5, connected by transverse bars or blocks 6. These bars or blocks 6l are preferably removably connected to the side pieces 5 by forming the latter in their longitudinal side edges at suitableiintervals with notches or recesses 7, forming seats to receive the ends of the tread blocks or bars 6, which are held by the walls of the notches from lateral and longitudinal movement. The bars or blocks 6 as thus arranged rest upon and are supported by the base-plate 3 and form a spaced tread or traction surface for the runners of the sleds. By this construction it will be seen that the use of a continuous rail-surface is obviated and resistance to the movement of the runners thereon reduced to the minimum. In practice the bars or blocks 6 are coated with grease or other lubricant to further reduce friction and allow the runners of the sleds to slide easily thereon.

Arranged upon the side bars 5 are guardrails 8, which preferably extend inwardly beyond the side edges of the said guard-rails and are spaced apart to form a guideway for the said runners and hold the same from displacement, thus obviating all liability of the sled running off or jumping the track-rails. The guard-rails 8 also extend a sullicient distance inward to overlap the ends of the traction blocks or bars 6, and thus securely hold them seated in their receiving-recesses in the bars 5 against upward movement. The baseplate 3, bars 5, and guard-rails 8 are secured in position by spikes 9 passing downward therethrough and entering the ties or sleepers l. lf desired, however, the base-plate 3 and rails 5 of the tread-surface 4 may be secured together and to the ties 1 by suitable fastening means and the guard-rails 8 independently secured by other fastening means, so as to enable the Guard-rails to be readily removed without isturbing .the fastenings of the other parts. 1n some cases also the rails 5 instead of being formed independently of the base-plate 3 may be integral therewith and form part thereof to reduce the number of separate parts of the trackway.

It will be readily observed from the foregoing description that the bars or blocks 6 as constructed and arranged not only reduce the tread-surface of the rail, thus diminishing the resistance to the movement of the runners thereon and allowing draft-animals to draw heavy loads with comparative ease, but that when injured or worn to an appreciable degree may be, upon the removal of the guard rails 8, readily removed and new blocks or bars substituted therefor without the necessity of detaching or discarding the entire rail.

The logging-sleds designed to be used in connection with my improved trackway may be of any preferred type and construction; but in the present instance I have shown a logging-sled composed of two separate sled members 10 and 11, connected by an intermediate draft-chain 12, each of said sleds comprising a transverse frame-bar 13, carrying runners 14 of suitable form and construction to run upon the bars or blocks 6 and also carrying the superposed bar or bolster 15, adapted to serve as a support for the logs. The forward ends of the runners of the front sled member 1Q are connected by a transverse rod or bar 16, to which is attached a tongue or draft device 17, to which in practice the draft-animals are hitched up.

When portions of the tramway are inclined and form heavy grades, the blocks 6 of such portions may be removed and a board or other solid surface substituted. This will permit the inclined portions of the track to be sanded to check the speed of a sled descending the grade.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimedas new is- 1. A tram-rail having a grooved guideway provided with receiving seats or recesses, stationary transverse tread-bars disposed in spaced relation in said guideway and arranged in said seats or recesses, and means for removably confiningl the tread-bars in -said seats or recesses.

' 2. A tram-rail, having a grooved guide way formed with seats in its side walls, stationary transverse tread -bars disposed in said guideway with their ends engaging said seats, and strips above said side walls conlining the ends of the bars in the seats, substantially as described.

3. A tram-rail having la grooved guideway formed with seats in its side walls, stationary transverse tread-bars disposed in saidv guideway with their ends engaging said seats, and spaced longitudinal strips above the sidewalls confining the ends of the tread'- bars in the seats and having converging opposing faces.

' 4. A tram-rail comprising a base, parallel longitudinal supporting-strips mounted upon said base and provided with recesses in their opposing edges, spaced transverse treadblocks seatedin said recesses, upper parallel longitudinal strips confining the tread-blocks in place, and means for detachably connecting the parts', substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT H. WATERS. Witnesses M. G. PAUL, J. E. PAUL. 

